Knitted elastic surgical stocking and the like



Sept. 3,- 1935. R ADAMSON KNITTED ELASTIC SURGICAL STOGKING AND THE LIKE Filed April l1, 1932 -2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR /DC/ //l/f 8%@ M ATTORNEY Sept. 3, 19.'.55.'A P, ADAMSQN 2,013,396

KNITTED ELASTIC SURGICAL STOCKING AND THE LIKE Filed April ll, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToR' Pfiff A/W/l/ BY y ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 3, 1935 KNITTED ELASTIC SURGICAL STOCKING AND THE LIKE Percy Adamson, Rye, N. Y., assignor to United States Rubber Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation-of New Jersey Application April 11, 1932, serial No. 604,378

4 Claims.

My invention relates to a knitted elastic surgical stocking or other limb or body encircling member for surgical use.

Articles of the character referred to for sur` 5 gical use have long been known but they are heavy and uncomfortable, partly by reason of their weight and also because of the seamsconnecting the parts. Ordinarily, lthey are made from heavy woven fabric which is cut to shape and seamed, and the seams are necessarily bulky and thus have a tendency to irritate the parts against which they press. Woven elastic fabrics as heretofore used for this purpose stretch in one direction only and this is a further reason of complaint. It has not beenpracticablel to knit such stockings on a knitting machine for the reason that no suitable elastic yarns have heretofore been known. The yarns that have heretofore been used have been cut rubber yarns wrapped with textile material, such yarns being very heavy as compared with the yarn which I use, and being further objectionable due to the fact that cut rubber yarns are of comparatively short length so that the ends must be knotted together at frequent intervals whereas in such yarn as I preferably use, the rubber core may be made of inden'ite length and covered yarn can readily be provided of lengths which are greater than those heretofore known.

An object of my invention is to provide a knitted elastic surgical body or limb encircling member knitted from an elastic yarn.

Another object is to provide a machineknitted elastic surgical bodyor limb encircling member having increased lightness and flexibility, relative freedom from heavy seams, capable of providing uniform support at the desired points, good appearance, increased durability, and reasonable cost.

Another object of the invention is to provide a surgical stocking or the like which will stretch freely in all directions, thereby affording greater comfort to the wearer Further objects will appear from the detailed 45 Adisclosure and claims.

For a complete disclosure of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure v1 is an elevation of a seamless stocking tic yarn and another portion made from inelastic yarn;

Fig. 5 is a much enlarged detail of a short length of the elastic yarn used; and

Fig. 6 is an elevation of a full fashioned knit 6 blank. l

In the drawings, in one form of the invention, reference character II) indicates the tubular body portion of a stocking blank having a tubular instep portion II and also having welt portions 10 I2 and I3, either or both of which welt portions may be made of elastic yarn which is lighter than the elastic yarn used in the leg and instep portions. While I do not limit myself to the use y of any particular yarn, it is preferred to use an elastic yarn of the character described in patent to Adamson, No. 1,822,847, granted September 8, 1931. Narrow zones I4 and I5 of inelastic yarn may be interposed between the welt portions and the adjacent tubular elastic yarn portions of a stocking. A divided heel area mainly of inelastic yarn is shown as composed of two parts I6 and I1 which are separated by a narrow zone I8 of elastic yarn. At the toe end of the stocking there is also a web I9 of inelastic 25 yarn which serves as a handling web.

In makingthe stocking blank above described, the knitting operation is begun at the toe end of the stocking, the blank in this particular instance being shown as made on a machine of the Burson type, and the knitting operation being instituted by starting on the bare needles with a course knitted by taking the yarn with both banks of needles simultaneously, after which the stocking is widened at opposite sides at the parts indicated at 213-20. When the full width of the foot has been attained, a few courses are knitted to form the portion indicated at 2 I, after which the yarn is changed by substituting an elastic yarn for knitting the welt portion I2 of the stocking. This 40 continues vup to the point Where the zone I4 begins, where an inelasticyarn is substituted for the elastic'yarn for a few courses, after which the yarn is again changed so as to knit with an elastic yarn inthe portion II.- When the heel area I6 is 45 reached, anl inelastic yarn is substituted for this area up to the beginning of the zone I 8 where round and round knitting with elastic yarn is resumed for a few courses to avoid the weakness ordinarily found at the junction of the points at the sides of the heel area and the body of the stocking. When the zone I8 is completed, inelastic yarn is again substituted for the heel area I'I and when this area has been completed, the elastic yarn is again thrown in for the leg portion `of the blank. During the formation of the 1eg` portion, the leg is widened at the calf, as usual, as indicated by the interrupted line 22. When the zone I5 is reached, an inelastic yarn is again thrown in for a few courses and thereafter knitting with the elastic yarn is resumed for the tubular portion I3, which ordinarily will be knitted with a lighter yarn than that used in the parts I0 and II. Afterthe part I3 is completed, a handling web 23 is knitted of inelastic yarn.

'Ihe stocking blank is now completed by cut.

ting the end portion of the web I9 and doubling the welt area I2, as shown at 24 in Fig. 2, and placing loops of a course in zone I4 and also inelastic yarn loops of a course at or close to the end of welt zone I2 on the points of a looping instrumentality, raveling out the remainder of the web I9 up to said points and then connecting the loops so positioned in the usual manner of looping, as practiced in connection with knitted articles. In like manner, the upper welt area I3 is folded over as indicated at 25 in Fig. 2 and a course at its upper end is connected to a course in the zone I5, after which the waste portion of the handling web 23 is removed. It will be understood that the Zones I 4 and I5 of inelastick yarn are provided as a matter of conveniencel for the looping operation incidental to the completion of the welts 24 and 25 .y

In the embodiment just described, theflnished stocking is toeless,'but if desired, the stocking may be knitted with a toe portion of either elascoursescomprise textile yarns 28, preferably cot-- ton yarns.

In Fig. 6 a modification is shown in which a full fashioned blank 29 is knitted either entirely of elastic yarn or with inelastic yarn substituted at desired portions, such as in the foot. This blank may then be joined up along 'its edges in the manner usually employed in making full fashioned stockings.

Other body encircling 'articles, such as wristlets, knee and ankle supports, abdominal supports, etc., may be made in a similar manner.

'The construction of the preferred elastic yarn is further illustrated in Fig. 5, where 26 indicates i rial, it is preferred to usea yarn having a core made directly from a dispersion of rubber, such as natural latex, as described in patent to Hopkinson et al. No. 1,545,257, granted July 7, 1925. I

' have found thatl articles made from elastic yarn having such a core have greatly superior resistance to heat and air ageing, laundering, perspiration, etc. In addition, being made of rubber from latex direct, and therefore unmlled, the thread has superior strength and elasticity, and it is also free from the sharp corners and irregularities of cut thread, so that the covered yarn is very regular and of uniform strength.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A blank for a surgical stocking comprising a knitted tube with a body of elastic yarn, a heel pocket area of cotton yarn, a handling web of inelastic yarn at each end of said body, and a narrow attachment4 zone of inelastic yarn in spaced relation to each of said handling Webs for welting by attachment of a course at the end of the body to a course in said attachment zone.

2. In a knitted stocking blank, a tubular portion made from elastic yarn, a handling web of inelastic yarn at the end thereof and a narrow zone of inelastic yarn spaced from the end of said tubular portion, whereby a welt can be made on the blank by looping a course at the end of the elastic yarn portion to a course in said narrow zone. I

3. A method of making a seamless surgical stocking blank comprising knitting a toe portion of cotton yarn, followed by a zone of elastic yarn, then knitting a narrow zone of cotton yarn, then knitting an elastic yarn to complete the instep and 'sole of the stocking, then knitting a heel pocket, then knitting the leg nearly to the top, then knitting a narrow zone of cotton followed by a Zone of elastic yarn and a handling web.

4. A method of knitting a seamless surgical v,stocking comprising knitting a tube of elastic PERCY yADAMSON. 

